


What the World Needs Now

by i_amthecosmos, magdalyna



Series: The Small Town Series [12]
Category: Bandom, One Direction (Band)
Genre: 90's era, AU, Homophobia, M/M, because he just is, jared leto is the villain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-06
Updated: 2017-04-06
Packaged: 2018-10-15 19:46:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10556682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_amthecosmos/pseuds/i_amthecosmos, https://archiveofourown.org/users/magdalyna/pseuds/magdalyna
Summary: Bob's Tavern gets some uninvited guests in the form of a new preacher and his members picketing in the parking lot.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I was going to have an OC as the minister, but then I told Magdalyna, and got a message back. "Let's go through all the old bandom villains." We decided on Jared Leto since it's been over ten years and motherfucker is STILL a villain. So we made him a backstory and here we are. 
> 
> There's a mention of Bob's place having tinted windows. Back when I started going to the bars, they were ALL like that, so no passing madmen could see in and suddenly have to put a brick through a window. I remember the first gay bar in Birmingham to have big sunny windows, it made people nervous.

Louis peered through the tinted window of Bob’s, looking at the crowd on the side of the gravel parking lot. “Yep, still there.” Liam came behind him and put a hand on the small of Louis’s back, to soothe him. He was pretty angry himself.

“This is ridiculous,” Bob said, staring out of the same big window. “This has never happened before, and I’ve been here since 1980. That bastard has his whole church out there.” They watched as a car pulled up, saw the picketers, and turned right back around. “I don’t have many here on Sunday, but I get a few. Do you think they’re getting people’s tag numbers?”

“I think that preacher man might have a camera, yeah,” Harry muttered darkly. “Who is that guy?”

Liam turned around to look at Harry. She was tense, worrying her bottom lip. “Jo says that his name is Jared, and that he was an ex-junkie who got religion, then came down South to preach. He’s from California or somewhere.”

“He needs to go back,” Louis said, still watching. Liam watched over Louis’s shoulder. It was a crowd of mostly women, some of them young girls, but largely retirement age older ladies. Pastor Leto was leading them in a hymn, and Liam saw a frustrated Harry go to the DJ booth try to cover it up. 

“I know you all get tired of me saying this,” Niall said from Liam’s shoulder. “But I don’t understand.” 

“You’ve been queer for over five years now,” Louis snapped, turning back at Niall. “You’re not used to it yet?” Niall looked stung, and walked away, Zayn glaring at Louis before he followed him. Liam dropped his hand.

“Lou...”

“Yeah, I know, I’m sorry.” Louis looked out the window again. Just when Liam was about to pull him back bodily, Louis went rigid. “Fuck, that’s Mrs. Hillman, she’s right there.” 

“Shit.” Liam knew that name, Louis had been styling her hair for years. Then Louis was heading for the door, fast, and Liam took off after him. “Lou? Lou no!” The last thing Bob’s needed was Louis losing his temper and hitting a little old church lady. Louis ran towards the group, stopping right in front of Mrs. Hillman. Liam stopped behind Louis.

“Mrs. Hillman,” Louis said. Liam could see her over Louis’s shoulder, how embarrassed she was. She was tiny and frail, maybe in her 70’s. And she was holding a sign that said FAGS CARRY AIDS on it. Now she was holding it tight, like she was trying to hide behind it. “Is that what you think of me?” 

She wouldn’t meet Louis’s eyes, and stopped singing with the rest of her group. “Mrs. Hillman, look at me. If that’s what you really think of me, I want you to look at me. Look me in the eyes, and hold my hand-” Liam’s eyes widened when he saw Lou take her hands in his, the sign dropping to the ground-”And tell me I’m a disease-ridden faggot. If you can come here, you can do that. Can’t you?” Liam heard Louis’s voice break, just when Mrs. Hillman started to cry. 

“Let go of her!” That was the pastor, and Liam turned to get in between that crook and Louis. Pastor Leto looked honestly frightened, and Liam glanced over his shoulder to find Louis hugging a sobbing Mrs. Hillman. “That’s assault, he put his hands on her without permission! I’m going to call the police.” And then Liam watched dumbfounded as the minister headed to the bar to use the phone.

“Don’t even think about it.” Bob and Harry were blocking the door. Harry was smirking, but Bob just glared at Leto like he was going to kill and eat him right then. “You get your two-bit con man ass to Waffle House if you want to call the cops.” Liam looked at the rest of this asshole’s flock, and they seemed a lot more subdued. The four or five males had retreated back to the church bus, wanting to keep as much distance between themselves and the bar attendants as possible. The women mostly stood around, confused, as Liam kept hugging Mrs. Hillman as she stuttered apologies through sobs. 

Meanwhile, Leto was having a meltdown right in front of his flock, to Bob’s amusement. Liam could hear him demanding to be let in so he could have Louis arrested, and Bob just shook his head, Harry by his side. Meanwhile, Niall and Zayn had come out to see what was going on.

“I never meant to do something to hurt you,” Liam overheard and Louis just made shushing noises and patted Mrs. Hillman’s arm. “The pastor said we needed to, he wants to shut this place down, said that it gave young people ideas. It wasn’t about you, I don’t think of you that way.”

“I can’t speak for everyone, but I got plenty of ideas all on my own when I was younger,” Louis told her, walking her towards the bar. “It’s not this place, it’s how I’ve always been. Now come sit down, we can get you a soda if you like.” Liam watched as Louis led her in, right past Pastor Leto. Louis turned his head and smirked at the preacher. Leto took a step toward him, and was met by Bob standing right in front of his face. Harry grinned and went back to the bar, giving the church members a little finger wave.

That left Niall, Zayn, Liam and a group of embarrassed church members. Liam looked at his friends, and Niall said “Right. Let’s go back in lads.” They walked past Leto and Bob, the pastor still pitching a fit but his flock not backing him up. Liam moved to follow them, when he felt someone touch his arm.

“Yeah?” It was a little girl, all braces and shyness. A normal girl, and she was carrying a sign that said _Fags Burn in Hell_. She blushed bright red when he turned around. “What’s the problem?” 

“I don’t understand. Pastor Leto said ya’ll would see the light, or that you’d chase us off.”

Liam laughed a little, which confused the girl more. “Yeah, I wasn’t expecting that either.” He turned around and walked back inside. There, Harry was pouring drinks for their little crowd, as Louis sat down with his client as they talked things out. After another ten minutes, Bob came in with a big smile.

“Our preacher friend is going to be taking his church group back home. I told him not to come back. I don’t think I can get police protection, but I’m pretty sure he doesn’t want too much attention. You can’t tell me he’s not up to something already.”

“I heard he got kicked out of a town in Kentucky,” Niall said, shaking his head. “The local sheriff thought he was getting too chatty with the teenage choir girls.” Zayn rubbed Niall’s back. “I don’t know if that’s true, though.”

“He’s had quite the history, according to him,” Harry said as she washed glasses. There wasn’t much to do, since there were so few people in the bar. “Hippie parents, drugs, the whole nine. Then he met a tent preacher and got saved, so he says.” 

“He can be saved as long as he stays away from here,” Liam said, getting a beer and a club soda for Mrs. Hillman. “Here you are, soda without the vodka. I’m Liam, it’s nice to meet you.” 

Mrs. Hillman took the glass. “Thank you. Yes, Louis has mentioned you. And, I am so sorry, that I got caught up with that.” Liam sat down next to Louis, put immediately put a hand on Liam’s knee. “But I’ve been a member of that church for fifteen years and when he took it over, I didn’t realize where he was taking it.”

“Yeah, I think my mother went there for a while, but she didn’t like it.” Louis sipped his beer. “She’s been kicked out or left a lot of churches, because of me. Pastor Leto is just saying in public what folks have been saying behind closed doors for years now.”

 

Mrs. Hillman looked down, embarrassed. “Yes, that’s true. I was wrong to do that. But, everyone says that I have to to be a Christian.” Liam nodded, he heard that before. Karen was still trying to find a church home that would be welcoming of Liam and Louis’s existence. 

“I know it’s hard. Normally I admit I’m not very forgiving of this sort of thing”-Mrs. Hillman gasped-”But I’ve known you for so long, and you were just following orders. But here’s how it is for me: I get stared at everywhere I go. So does everyone else in this bar. Liam here, he could pass for straight, and he did for years, but everyone knows that he’s with me so that’s out. We all get gossiped about, we’re treated as lesser class citizens, me and Liam can’t get anyone to let us buy a house. That’s how it is, that’s life. We don’t need Leto giving us a hard time at the only place we feel safe. Right?”

Mrs. Hillman looked between the two of them, and Liam nodded. “Lou at least had his family’s support. Me and my friend Niall didn’t. My parents came around, his are still working on it. It’s a hard thing, your family not speaking to you. So, you see, most of us believe we can’t be anything other than what we are.” 

“Dunno about that, I always say I chose it,” Niall quips as he came over with a plate of food and a drink. “Hi, I’m Niall. Bob’s got the steam table open, do ya want anything? There’s meat loaf.” 

Mrs. Hillman squeezed the purse she had in her lap. “I...maybe. I’ll see what’s there.” Then she got up, leaving her purse, and Niall walked with her to the steam table, holding her arm like she was his Gran. Liam looked over and saw Zayn painting his nails while his boyfriend chatted her up.

“You did good,” Liam said. “You were very brave to do that.”

“I wasn’t,” Louis said, squeezing Liam’s hand. “I was just honest. And hurt, I admit that. I hated seeing her there, I’m glad it helped. Maybe, maybe it did.”

“I think it did,” Liam said as he watched Niall sit Mrs. Hillman down with him and Zayn, Harry getting her another soda. “Maybe she’ll tell her church friends that we’re just human. It couldn’t hurt.” 

“Maybe. I can’t be too happy about it though. I shouldn’t have to do this at all. It’s not my job.” Louis sighed. “I’m gonna get a plate too. I think Bob made mac and cheese.” Louis got up, and Liam could see how tight his shoulders were. He’d have to rub them when they got home.

 

Liam sat alone for a few moments, feeling his own tension. Harry came over with a beer and kissed his cheek. “Relax, it’s all right now. You know, me and Bob are trying to remember if that Preacher Man has ever been in here. I don’t think he has. A shame, I’d love to use that against him.” Harry smiled, all sunshine.

Liam grinned back. “I guess we can’t win them all. Although I’ll keep an eye out for him the next time Louis drags me to Atlanta to go clubbing.” Surely Leto wouldn’t be shameless enough to come here after picketing the place. 

“Shut up, you love to dance. But yes, that would make Bob very happy.” Harry gave him a hug and left just as Louis came back with two plates. 

“Thank you,” Liam said, and picked at his turnip greens and cornbread. “You’re right,” he said softly after a few minutes. “It’s not your job. But nobody else wants to do it, so I guess it’s all our jobs.”

“Still shouldn’t be,” Louis said softly. “But I’m glad I put an end to that stupidity. “Let’s eat and go home, I want to go to bed.” 

“Sure thing.” He pushed the beer aside-in case the cops came by, he didn’t want to appear too drunk to drive. “I love you. You’re the best, and we’re going to find a house in this bloody town if it’s the last thing we do.” 

Louis cracked up, laughing hard enough to make Bob look over. “Thanks, I needed that,” he said. “You’re amazing too. Don’t ever think otherwise. You’re the best possible person for me.” 

“What, even more than River Pheonix?” Liam winked at him and Louis groaned. 

“You’ll never let me live it down that I liked him in My Own Private Idaho, great. Yes, better than him.” Louis squeezed his hand and then made short work of his plate. Liam finished his, and Harry came to get the plates. 

Louis got up and walked over to Niall and Zayn’s table. “Mrs. Hillman, do you need a ride home? We’ve leaving now.” She looked up from where she was talking to Zayn.

“I don’t think so, this young man here-” she patted Zayn’s hand-”Said he’d take me. I should go, but I want to rest a bit. This place is nice on Sunday, for a bar. I don’t think I’ve been in a bar since 1972.” Niall laughed and had another drink. 

“Okay. I’ll see you at the salon. Or you can come back here! But beware, the music gets loud sometimes.” He gave Mrs. Hillman a hug, then Liam waved to everyone and they took off.

…

When they got home, Louis took a long shower. Liam thought about going in with him, but decided to just let him be. He watched some TV, not really paying attention to it, while he waiting on Louis. 

After a while, Louis came back, wearing his robe and slippers. “We should get a dog,” he said. “Like, if getting a house is this much trouble, we should at least have a dog. I could go to the pound after work tomorrow.” Louis said down next to Liam, curling up against him.

“We do have enough for a pet deposit. It’ll have to be a small dog for apartment living. We’ll go and pick one out, but can we wait for Tuesday? I have that day off.” Louis nuzzled his neck. 

“Okay. We’ll get a small dog, or maybe a cat, I like both. You’d like a dog better though. And I’ll ask around at work, maybe one of my clients would help us with the house hunting. I got Mrs. Hillman to turn around, so why not?” 

“That’s the spirit.” Liam watched the news with some detachment. “I think I’m tired, baby. I’m going to get ready for bed.” He kissed Louis, hand cupping his face, then left to go brush his teeth. When he got to bed, Louis was there with a book and his reading light. 

“Night, baby. Love you,” Liam said, and Louis smiled at him over his reading glasses. Liam curled over on his side, eyes closed. “You know,” he said suddenly. “You’re right, it’s not your job to make people stop being bigots. But you’re still great at it.” 

Louis didn’t answer a first, and Liam heard him put his book up. “Maybe one day I won’t have to.” Then Liam heard the reading light click off.


End file.
